Fire-escape.



No. 644,265. Patented Feb. 27, I900.

, P. C.-TH|B|0N.

FIRE ESCAPE. 1

(Application filed Nov. 10, 1899.

(No Model.)

nun

By 71 Z 5 Jhlorgcys,

Nrrap STATES IIIILIP O. Tl-IIRION, OF MISSOULA, MONTANA.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 644,265, dated February27, 1900.

Application filed November 1899. Serial No- 736,501. (No model.)

. T0 at whom zit may concern:

Be it known that I, PHILIP C. THIRION, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Missoula, in the county ofMissoula and State of Montana, have invented a new and usefulFire-Escape, of which the following is a specification. I

This invention relates to fire-escapes, and has for its object toprovide an improved portable device comprisinga flexible ladder which isnormally rolled into compact form and is applied to a table or similararticle of furniture, so as to be both ornamental and useful as well asbeing housed andprotected. It is, furthermore, designed to mount theladder so that it may be conveniently thrown out of a window, andthereby unwond as it descends to the ground, and the article offurniture then being at the lower end of the ladder will hold the lattertaut, so as to prevent swinging thereof.

Another object is to provide means for anchoring the upper end of theladder and also to space the ladder outward from the wall of a building,so as to facilitate the descent of persons seeking to escape from aburning building.

To these ends the present invention consists in the combination andarrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, shownin the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in theappended claims, it being understood that changes in the form,proportion, size, and minor details may be made within the scope of theappended claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any ofthe advantages of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of a portion of a buildinghaving the present invention suspended from one of the windows thereofand in its operative position. Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view takentransversely through the lower portion of the window and illustratingthe manner of anchoring the upper end of the ladder and also the mannerof spacing the ladder outward from the wall of the building. Fig. 3 is adetail perspective View of the spacing device. Fig. 4 is a detailsectional elevation taken through an end of of one of the rounds of theladder. Fig. 5 is a detail view illustrating the device when not in use.

Corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings aredesignated by like characters of reference.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, 1 and 2 designate oppositeparallel cables, preferably formed of wire, so as not a be burned by theflames of a fire, and supported between these cables is a plurality ofregularly-spaced rounds 3, thereby forming a flexible ladder which maybe conveniently wound into compact form.

It is preferable to form each round of wood, so as to provide acomparatively-light ladder, and each end of the round is protected bymeans of a metallic ferrule or sleeve 4. To connect each round to therespective cables, the latter are provided with knots or loops adjacentto the ends of the round and suitable screw-fastenings 5 are passedthrough the loops or knots and into the ends of the round. It ispreferable to interpose a washer 6 between the head of each fasteningand the adjacent side of the cable, so as to form a comparatively-broadbearing against the knot or loop. In some instances it may not bedesirable to employ loops orknots in the cables, and in such an eventthe fastenings are passed between the strands of the cables, as will beunderstood. In order that the ladder may be normally maintainedincompact form and out of the way, I employ a suitable drum 7, to whichthe lower end of the ladder is connected and upon which the ladder iswound. This drum is provided with opposite flanges or heads 8, betweenwhich the ladder is confined. To conceal and protect the ladder, Iprefer to mount the drum upon a table 9 or other similar article offurniture, the drum being located immediately below the top of the tableand journaled upon opposite crossbars 10, carried by the legs thereof.It will thus be apparent that the table may be used in its ordinarycapacity, and the fire-escape does not take up any extra room and alsomay be moved to any part of the room or the building.

The upper portions of the cables above the upper round of the ladder areconverged, as

shown in Fig. 1, and at the point of convergence are provided with asuitable hook 11 for engagement with the inner edge of the window-sill12, as best illustrated in Fig. 2.

At or immediately below the upper round there is provided aspacing-bracket 13, comprising opposite heads 14, having divergent legs15 and connected by means of a transverse bar 16. The outer end of eachhead is provided with a notch or groove 17 for the reception of therespective cables, and the latter are fixedly connected to the heads bymeans of fastening devices 18, preferably in the form of substantiallyU-shaped staples, which embrace the respective cables.

In the operation of the device the hook end thereof is partially unwoundfrom the drum and the hook ll engaged with the inner edge of thewindow'sill, after which the table is thrown out of the window, therebyunwinding the ladder as it descends to the ground. As shown in Fig. 2,the divergent legs of the bracket bear against the outside of the wallof the building, and as the respective cables pass across the outer endsof the heads of the bracket the ladder is eifectively spaced outwardfrom the wall of the building. Also the weight of the table and drumwill prevent the ladder swinging during the descent of the person on theladder.

\Vhat I claim is-- 1. In a fire-escape, the combination with an articleof furniture, of a reel mounted thereon, a flexible ladder having itslower end connected to the reel, and an anchoring device applied to theopposite upper end of the ladder, the article of furniture forming aweight at the lower end of the ladder, when said ladder is in use.

' 2. In a fire-escape, the combination with an article of furniture,having legs, and opposite cross-bars carried by the legs, of a reel,having its opposite ends journaled in the respective cross-bars, aflexible ladder, having its lower end connected to the reel,and ananchoring-hook provided at the opposite upper end of the ladder, thetable forming a weight at the lower end of the ladder when thefire-escape is in use.

3. A flexible ladder, comprising opposite cables, rounds having theirinner-ends fitting against the inner sides of the respective cables,ferrules fitted to the respective ends of the rounds, and headedfastening devices passing transversely through the respective cables andlongitudinally into the adjacent ends of the rounds.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aiiixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

PHILIP C. TI'IIRION.

Witnesses:

WALLACE P. SMITH, CHARLIE E. Muzz n.

